Bladder Cancer Immunotherapy: Types, Benefits, and Side Effects

What Is Immunotherapy for Bladder Cancer?

Consider your immune system as your body’s natural security system, which stays alert against viruses, bacteria, cancer cells, and other microorganisms. Sometimes, cancer cells may be hidden and cannot be detected and destroyed by immune cells. Immunotherapy is a treatment that plays a significant part in this situation. Immunotherapy medications train your immune cells to detect and destroy cells that cause cancer. Also, immune cells can function even after the therapy is over.

If bladder cancer has progressed to the muscle layer of the bladder, bladder cancer treatment options include the following medications:

• Nivolumab (Opdivo).

• Avelumab (Bavencio).

• Atezolizumab (Tecentriq).

These belong to a group of drugs called checkpoint inhibitors.

How Does Immunotherapy Work Against Bladder Cancer?

Considering immunotherapy for bladder cancer? Now we know immunotherapy trains our immune cells to attack cancer cells. But how does this immunotherapy work for bladder cancer?

Here is the process involved -

• Checkpoint Inhibitors: The immune system acts as a defense force to protect you from illnesses. Sometimes, cancer cells prevent their function by using certain proteins (PD-1 and PD-L1, which play a role in regulating the immune system) as covers. Checkpoint inhibitors remove these covers, allowing your immune system to target cancer cells.

• Activation of T-cells: Immunotherapy activates the T-cells that fight against infections once the covers are removed. T-cells get attached to cancer cells and start destroying them. Immunotherapy increases the efficiency of T-cells.

• BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin) Therapy: BCG treatment for bladder cancer uses weakened strains of bacteria administered into the bladder. The bacteria activate the immune cells, destroying the cancer cells.

• Targeted Antibodies: This therapy uses special antibodies designed to attack cancer cells. The antibodies act by directly attacking the cancer cells or preventing their growth by blocking the proteins required for growth.

What Are the Types of Immunotherapy Used in Bladder Cancer Treatment?

Immunotherapy drugs for bladder cancer have seen a lot of advances in recent days. Immunotherapy is one of the effective treatments.

The types of immunotherapy to treat bladder cancer include -

• Checkpoint inhibitors.

• BCG therapy.

• Targeted therapy.

Immunotherapy vs. Chemotherapy: Which Is More Effective?

If you or a loved one has bladder cancer, you may be wondering about immunotherapy vs. chemotherapy for bladder cancer. Which one works best? The answer is not so simple—it is determined by factors such as your overall health, the stage and kind of cancer, and how your body reacts to therapy. Consider chemotherapy as a violent storm that just hits fast and clears everything away, including cancer and healthy cells. That is why chemotherapy comes with side effects like hair loss, nausea, and vomiting. Immunotherapy trains immune cells to fight cancerous cells. It will not affect healthy cells. It is a slow process. So, which treatment will you opt for? The best approach is to consult your doctor, assess the advantages and downsides, and select the best treatment.

What Are the Benefits and Risks of Immunotherapy for Bladder Cancer?

Let's start with the benefits of chemotherapy -

• Immunotherapy helps treat cancers that do not respond to other forms of treatment.

• When combined, immunotherapy improves the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

• It also prevents the recurrence of cancer because immune cells continue to attack cancer cells even after therapy is completed.

• In individuals with advanced bladder cancer, it improves their life expectancy.

Now, let us discuss the risks involved in bladder cancer -

• Immunotherapy might take a long time to become effective.

• Some may not respond to immunotherapy.

• You will experience itching, swelling, or rashes in the place where it is injected.

• Sometimes, your immune system may attack other organs.

• You may experience symptoms similar to the flu.

Who Can Get Bladder Cancer Immunotherapy?

Are you curious to know who is eligible for bladder cancer chemotherapy? For yourself or a loved one, eligibility is based on key factors. It is often utilized for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer that fails to respond to other treatments and muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) with a high risk of coming back. If chemotherapy fails to treat or is not a good option due to other health issues, immunotherapy might be a great choice.

What Are the Adverse Effects of Immunotherapy?

Here is the list of adverse effects you may face after immunotherapy -

• Nausea.

• Low energy levels.

• Skin-related issues.

• Reduced appetite.

• Hair loss.

• Vomiting.

• Cough.

Since immunotherapy affects your immune system, your doctor will monitor you constantly and advise you to take regular blood tests. You will be given steroids to reduce inflammation if there is any sign of inflammation. So, what is the bottom line? Side effects experienced by individuals vary. Some may experience mild side effects, while others may experience severe side effects. If you feel something is not fine, consult a doctor.

What Are the Recent Advances in Immunotherapy for Bladder Cancer?

The recent advances in immunotherapy for bladder cancer are-

• The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) recently approved Nivolumab to treat MIBC.

• Experts are working on a combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy to enhance the treatment outcome.

What Are Some Lifestyle Tips to Follow During Immunotherapy?

Some of the lifestyle changes to improve your immunity during immunotherapy are -

• Drink plenty of water to remain hydrated.

• You should consume a well-balanced diet.

• To avoid tiredness, you should give your body enough rest by providing adequate sleep.

• You should practice some mild exercises regularly to improve your physical health.

• Also, you should practice yoga to support your mental health.

Conclusion:

Immunotherapy assists the immune system in detecting and destroying cells that cause cancerous growth. It is used when all other traditional methods to treat cancer have failed. It is a more targeted treatment, and while some individuals find it gentler on their bodies than chemo, others may encounter immune-related side effects; it varies by person.

Key Takeaway/Note from Icliniq

Unlike chemotherapy, which targets cancer and healthy cells, immunotherapy enhances the immune system's ability to detect and destroy cancer cells. Immunotherapy targets only cancer cells. Immunotherapy also helps individuals who do not respond well to chemotherapy. Making specific lifestyle changes during immunotherapy can help individuals heal better.